When crews opened the door to the apartment in which the dead woman was found, a dog escaped, Mlachak said.

He said although there were fire detectors in the apartments, none of the residents could recall hearing them sound.

Painesville City Fire responded to 50 East South St. for a reported dryer fire at 5:12 a.m. Arriving on scene by 5:16 a.m., firefighters found heavy flames coming out of the front of the building, Mlachak said.

Crews started “aggressive interior fire fighting” until they became concerned about a possible collapse of the second floor. Firefighters then began defensive operations, said Mlachak.

Although the fire was reported as having been caused by a dryer, “The guys found the main body of the fire to be on the first floor. The dryers are in the basement.”

The official cause has yet to be determined as investigation is still underway.

The Ohio State Fire Marshal is assisting with the investigation because of the fatality involved.